Bruce Weber is a fashion photographer who gained notoriety in the 1980's. He has worked well into the modern era and has kept relevant status in the industry by continuing to create powerful works of art. His work started in theater, shifted to film-making and finally ended with photography. In the three images, Weber simultaneously draws attention to, and away from his models through the use of strong contrasts in colors. Because he uses physically beautiful models, the eye is instantly drawn to them. However, by crafting his images in a realm full of color and imaginary settings, he manages to keep the eyes bouncing through the whole of the image, a perfect example is the goat and small asian child in the final photo.
Conceptually, Weber explores several themes throughout his images. It could be argued that the most important of which is his almost feverish use of color amidst beauty. By bringing the world of fashion into a collision course with fine art, Weber managed to transition fashion photography into the mainstream. His use of masculinity and femininity are also interesting aspects of his work. In the second image we see the male in a dress wearing normal sneakers with very very well manicured hands. This contrasts the normal recapitulation of heteronormativity by other fashion photographers.
Weber's images speak to me for several reasons, his use of models for instance brings new meaning to the "portrait"and paints a new picture for me to use as a basis for growth and development. Another important reason for my love of his work is that his assistant, along with her father, joined myself and my colleagues at Ink magazine for our Creative review/Release event and had only the most positive things to say about our style and our magazine. When showed our magazine, Weber said that we had a "great eye" and promptly offered to buy up several of the dresses we used for our fashion editorial! This close involvement with small talent from a non local university makes me believe that Weber really is in it for the art and for photography's sake. We at Ink magazine look forward to working with Weber in the future and have an artist talk in the planning.
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